1969
it seems fitting, for what would appear to be my last ALUMNI MAGAZINE column, to give you the full text of a letter I recently received from the member of the Class whom I have probably maligned the most for not writing Jon Swenson. Swede writes the following:
"Dear the Glovsky Family, "Can it be true? Is this a letter from the carefree wanderer, once known as Swede? Yup. I've seen the error of my ways. I don't believe I've written to any '69 in the past nine years, 'cept for an occasional note to Denison. But I guess I have reformed and am responding to periodic requests for info in the magazine and class newsletter.
"I trust you are prospering. You made mention of a $55-million lawsuit in a recent mag. Does this mean you were the suer or the suee? You can write all the details in your next letter.
"I suppose a recap of all my activities in the past few years may be in order. I have tumbled around a bit, both geographically and professionally, since graduation. First I spent two and a half years as promotion and publicaffairs director for various TV and radio stations here in Portland. I left the. wonderful world of top-40 radio late in '71 and spent the next year working on a construction crew. The idea was to get my bod in shape, which I did, and somehow become a latter-day Eric Hoffer, which I didn't. Got too damn tired to think about anything 'cept a six-pack of beer at the day's end.
"New paragraph. Got married that year. Ann and I left Portland and knocked around the country for a while. We ended up in L.A., where I found myself enrolled in the official Volkswagen/Porsche/Audi mechanics school. Learned how to turn wrenches and went to work for a dealership in Westwood. As you can imagine, that got old fast, and I realized that my pursuit of blue-collar nirvana had run its course.
"On to the next. Got a suit and landed a job with an insurance company in L.A. Got all sorts of professional licenses and spent the next two and a half years working on pension plans, selling securities, peddling health insurance, and all kinds of other neat crap. Our daughter Dana was born in '75 and I tired of the insurance biz. We moved back to Oregon when I rejoined King Broadcasting. Spent eight miserable months in Eugene (don't believe any of the stuff you may hear about the fantastic quality of life in Eugene... it stinks). Then to Portland and two-and-a-half years of direct sales; advertising, it was.
"I seem unable to hold any job for longer than the magic two-and-a-half-year mark, so as that anniversary approached last fall, I left King (again) and set up my own company, the name of which is immodestly printed on everything I own. I work in association with an established writer/designer, producing sales materials (brochures, ads and stuff) for all kinds of accounts. I guess this company is sort of an advertising agency, but not quite. I produce stuff. Other people buy the media and place the ads.
"I'm very pleased to say that the enterprise is doing very well. I am enjoying the freedom of bossing myself, although starting your own business can be a bit scary at times. Fortunately, I've been too busy to think much about that.
"It looks as though we will finally put down some roots here in Portland. It is about the best combination of big city/small-town life that I have found. We bought a house here two years ago, then sold it to finance the business. But now that I've finally made a commitment to stay here, we are looking for another. Ann is working for the Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission. I now know all about fish.
"Must sign off to pursue fame and riches. I don't see that we will be able to make the reunion this year. But you have a standing invite to visit this part of the country. It's beautiful."
My thanks to everyone who was kind enough to contribute to this space over the past several years. Thanks also to those who were kind enough to put up with my antics and encourage the fun I had in writing this column.
The Dartmouth Club of Springfield, Mass., recently presented Webster dictionaries tooutstanding juniors in 14 area high schools and prep schools. The club also presented thefirst Dr. Walter Baynes '68 Memorial A ward to the outstanding Dartmouth senior fromthe greater Springfield area, Peter Maglathlin. Participating in the ceremony were (fromleft): Joyce Baynes, Dr. Baynes' widow; William Ferris '66, club president; Dr. KennethE. Nicholson '45, area enrollment director; Peter Maglathlin '7B, recipient of the Baynesaward; and Randy Young, book-award winner.
264 Upland Road Newtonville, Mass. 02160
